National Republican., 1887-02-03

Abuses.
After transacting miscellaneous business
the Senate at lis resumed the considera-
tlon Of the sundry civil appropriation bill.
On motion Of Mr.. Hoar, a paragraph was
inserted constituting the Secretary Of
State, the librarian Of Congress, and the
secretary Of the Smithsonian institution
(and their successors in ofllce) commits
sion to report to Congress the character
and value Of the historical manuscripts be-
longing to the government, and what pol
icy and method should be pursued In re-
gard to editing and publishing the same.
Mr.. Allison, chairman Of the committee
on appropriations, said that the senator
Of him on Tuesday whether or not there
would be a surplus IN the treasury In case
Congress made appropriations this session
in accordance with the estimates Of the de-
partments. In his (Mr. Allison's) desire to
complete the bill during that night, he had
failed to answer that inquiry as fully as ne
might have done. The regular estimates
of the departments, as submitted by the
Secretary Of the Treasury, amounted, In
round numbers, TO 1876, ,OO0, 900. Since that
time there had been supplementary and
other estimates amounting TO a aconsiderable
sum. For example, there was an estimate
Of nearly $5,000,000 to carry out the pro-
visions OF the Mexican pension bill. No
estimate had been as yet submitted as TO the
disabilities pension bill, which both Houses
had passed, but which had not yet received
the signature of the President. II was safe to
assume, however, that seven or eight mill
ion dollars would be required for that pur-
pose. Then there had been already sub
mitted estimates fordefciencies amounting
to seven millions more. So that the total
OF the estimates for the next fiscal year
(without including miscellaneous appro.
priations) amounted to 1896, 100000. He
thought II safe to assume, however, that
Congress would not appropriate fully up to
the estimates.
Mr.. Platt. Why not1 The heads of de-
partments are supposed to know what the
wants OF the government are. The ques-
tion i went to have answered is this,
Whether they have estimated the govern
ment expenses on scale that is extrava
CANT or on scale that Ia economical, and,
II on an economical scale, why not appro.
pirate according to their estimates'
Mr.. Allison. They have estimated for
various things which can be done this year
or can be postponed until next year; and
therefore, without saying that the estimates
are either eXtravagant or improrident, 1t is
enough to say that Congress may not be
willing to enter upon all the expenditures
proposed In the book of estimates. SO that
will not say that the estimates Of the
departments are extravagant, though / will
cay that In some respects they are In excess
OF estimates hitherto made by the depart
ments lin some cases), and arc perhaps In
excess Of the immediate necessities OF the
government.
The estimates, as say, for the next fiscal
year are 1896, 600, 900. The revenues are
conjectural, necessarily. Curlously enough,
perhaps naturally enough, the Secretary ol
the Treasury this year makes no estimate Of
the revenue. 1t has been the custom oi
former Secretaries of the Treasury to make
estimates Of the revenue, giving the actua
returns for the first quarter OF the year (be
fore Congress meets) and estimating for th,
remainder Of the year and for the next flsca
year. A careful examination OF the law
discloses the fact that the Secretary OF the
Treasury is not bound to make those estl
guide as TO what the revenue will be eithe
for the current year or for the next fsca
year, except from the estimates made las
year and from the receipts up to the 1st o
January last.
Mr.. Platt. Do these estimates of 1906,
0GO,0OO include any considerable amour
for coast defenses?
Mr.. Allison. They include 81, 900, 900 TO
Notifications. The total navy estimate
S20,000,000, so that / assume that these es
Inmates do not include what We woul
regard as a sufficient expenditure for coas
defenses or for the navy II we should ente
ON that subject.
are practically nothing.
Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa. Does this 1895 900,
eco include the amount that is to be lai
aside for the sinking fund?
Mr.. Allison. That is included.
Mr.. Platt. So that If Congress sioul
deem II necessary to expend larger sur
than $5,000,000 for coast defenses tha
larger sum would increase the estimate
beyond 1896, ,OO0,0
Mr.. Allison. Yes; and II we should ar
propriate more than twenty millions fo
the navy that over.appropriation must b
added. The bill as passed by the Hous
does appropriate twenty-five milliont
Now, as to the receipts for the next fiscs
year. The receipts for the year endin
by the Secretary of the Treasury in his re
port and by the President in his message
But that does not include the receipts froI
postal revenue, and those receipts must
added to the 336,000,000. For the yea
1856 the postal revenue was $4,000, 900, s.
that the receipts for the year amounted t
S5sO,0OO,(OO. This year the Postmaste
win be $50,000,000. ] think in view Of th
actual receipts Of last year that that is
high estimate. do not believe they wi
reach $4,000, 900. But, assuming that the,
will, and assuming that tho ordinary revi
Dues Of the government are what they wer
last year ($3S6, 600, 600, then we have
receipts for the fiscal year 1875
These receipts will not be added to excel
from duties on imports. l mean ths
whatever increase Of receipts there may b
will have to come from customs receipt
The customs receipts for the year 1886 wei
$102,000,000. For the first six months G
this fiscal year they amount to $l07, ,000, ,00'
SO that there has been an increase of b,
tween ten and eleven millions In the fri
six months Of this year as compared wit
the same period last year. Assuming tbs
that increase continues throughout th
flscal year, the aponnt from custom
duties for the current year will be $2l4
C00,000. The total receipts of revenue IL
$1s0,0o0,0 600. So that Qf that rate col
tinuesl we will have a total revenue
$500, 100000 for this current year as con
pared with $3.50, 100000 for the last flsc
year.
In these estimates for the current year
do not include postal receipts, nor are the
included in the 1886, 100000 for last yea
ceipts, and an expenditure OF 1895, ,000, 90
Mr.. Morrill,. Do you not think that "
ought to make some difference between Il
first half of the fiscal year and the la
halfY think that the receipts from Gu
toms are usually much larger in the fir
half than In the second half.
Mr.. Allison. 1t happens SO sometime
and sometimes the reverse happens. | tai
the receipts, therefore, as $500, 900 I,
next year. Add the estimated postal rev,
nue., and the receipts will be $4,000, 90
Then, II we take the estimates OF eXpend
lures as suggested by the senator fro
Connecticut (Mr. Platt) as the measure
our expenditures for lSST.S Ito which shou
be added the amount for pensions leglsl
tom, we have total expenditure Of $50,
600, Geo, which will make the surplus (beil
the Question naked by the senatnr fro